Elastic tire for vehicle-wheels.



No. 812,698; PATENTEDFEB. 13, 1906. T. STERNE. ELASTIC TIRE FOR VEHICLE WHEELS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 23, 1905.

which. it is not rigidly f In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is present invention.

' in a vertical sense and the spring is left oose f the same principle.

compression which is analogous to the com- As in the device referredto in the above- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. THEODORE sTEaNs, or PARIS, FRANCE. ELASTICI'TIRE FQR VEHICLE-WHEELS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application and June 23,1905. Serial No- 266,657.

No. 812,698. Patented Feb. 13, 1906.

To all whom i may 007706772" I essentially constituted by a series of spirally- Beit known that I, THEODORE STERNI J, l wound elastic lamina a, Fig. 1, the spires of civil engineer, a subject of His Majesty the f'which touch each other, the two ends being Emperor of Austria I-Iungary, residing at 182 1 free and the springs being, placed endto end rue de .Rivoli, Paris, France, have invented round the telly of the wheel, touching each new and useful Inmrovements in Elastic other, although independent of one another. Tires for \Vhecls of Vehicles, of which the fol- 1 In the previous arrangement these springs lowing is a s 'iecification. I are kept on the telly by a simple flexiblecove The present invention, which relates to ering which does not impede their lateral excla-stic tires for vehicle-wheels generally, but f tension. When the tire is in use,-tho springs more particularly for wheels of motor-cars, refers more especially to the kind of tire described in my English Patent No. 13,286, dated June 20, lUO1that is to say, consisting of a series of metallic springs surrounded by a covering of indie-rubber, leather, or any other impermeable material which may serve as a protection against moisture, dust,or mud. 4 v

The invention pertains to'an elastic tire of the above-mentioned kind which shall be stronger than those existing, shall be capable of supporting much heavier loads without I ground as the wheel revolves take a form approaching the one'shown in Fig. 2, the different layers orspires of the steel sheet change their-mutual position and move apart to a greater or less extent at points I), according to the degree of bending of the spring due to the stress of compression to which it is submitted by the load P, carried by the spring. It'is this successive momentary deformation of the several springs which imparts great flexibility to the tire, the effect of which is quite comparable to that of the ordinary any risk of detrimental deformationorbreakpneumatic tire. N ow in certain cases, noting, while aft'ording the degree of, elasticity ably for heavy vehicles or vehicles having'to which characterizes the kind of tire in quescarry heavy loads, it may be of advantage to tion. y j reduce. thisflexibility while yet allowing the tire to retain'itsdesirable elasticity. Inthis manner too considerable abending or flattening at the point of contact with the ground is avoided Without having recourse to springs i which are too rigid. This is the aim to which the arrangement which constitutes the pres- I ent invention points. One instance of the invention is shown in Fig.3 of the accom arrangement the shyi a perspective view of one of the elementary springs similar to those described in the above-mentioned paten't and forming part of g the construction of the tire described in the Fig. 2 shows in a somewhat exaggerated manner the position which the concentric spires will take in a spiral springin which the spires are in contact, as shown in Fig. 1, when a sharp spontaneous pressure is brought to bear upon the s ring a of the wheel is probe fixed permanently to the-telly, the other a supple covering by one, e, being movable and capable of being. removed from the felly.

' tire or removing the same.

or simply surrounded by inclosed. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a tire according to the present invention, with similar elementary] springs to those shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a ta'ngular cross-section round the felly c. In view similar to Fig. 3, showing a somewhat i this groove the elementary springs a are different arrangement devised according to i lod ed, which are similar to the one shown Fig. 5 is a similar-view l to Fig- 4, showing in what manner the elel mentary spring of this new device works and the form which it takes'whensubjected to a These flanges said flanges, against which they press at points g h, while at the bottom of the groove f they'restat i on the folly c. The s rings a are kept in the groove f on. the is ly c by means of an exteriorimpermeable covering j, of leather, indiarubber,'impermeable tis ,sue, or any to the .felly i'ession it receives when the tire is in use and ears upon the ground.

mentioned prior patent, the fpresenttire is. by any means whatsoever. I'n

therefore on coming in contact with the' anying drawings. In this.

for putting on the d e form-a deep groove f of practically'rec-- vided with lateral flanges d e, ofwhich dmaly' in ,ig.- 1 and are laterally held fast by. the

other appropriate material, fixed t att 'usua {way or in any suitable manner. As in the preceding case, the s rings a bear with their sides at g h a ainst the walls '1) of the hoop p, and at t t ey rest on the ottorn of the groove f of the hoop. The impermeable covering 7' may for instance, be kept on the felly, as in the=device described in my French Patent No.- 346,601, dated Se tember 27, 1904, by means of inflatable hee -pieces g engagin the recesses r s of the curved walls ,pp o the hoop p. In both thesearrangements when the elementary spring a is subjected to a load P, Fig. 5, it relinquishes the cylindrical form shown in Fig. 1, as well as in Figs. 3 and 4, and ap roaches as it is supported at the sides at g b a rectangular form with rounded corners't, Fi 5. The concentriclayers oi? the spring gli eover each other and remain 11100111321013 at the points at which they are supported-as, for instance, at g h 'iand move apart at the poihts at which they are not supported. In consequence thereoi the s ringla rolls up, and it is to this rollin up e flexibility of the spring is due. it is readily seen that this flexibility affords the "required elasticity of the tire without the riskhemp, the grass-cloth plant, jute, or of camelof .too considerable a flattening of the'tire at the point of contact with the ground due to a heavy load on sudden pressure.

For the 81111213086 of preventing the metallic s rin .s, w 'ch are a constituent part of the tire om. cutting into the coverin of-indiarubber, leather, or other impermea le matter applied to protect the sprin s against moisture,-dust, or mud a layer 0 wadding, stuffin oalrum,.or othc'rappropriate fibrous or ot er material which is neither woven 'n'or spun is inter osed. The stufiing may cons1st.of carde or non-carded fibers of cotton,

hair, &c. Thismaterial can be used in the form of a strip. or continuous layer on the interior of the coverin the latter being protected by this materia from being cut, owing .to the resistance which the material presents bein ap .to the more or less sharp edges of the exterior spires of the metallic s rings inclosed in the covering. If it is foun suitable, each spring maybe entirely or partly surrounded by a layer of saidfibrous-material, the material lied in any manner whatsoever. at; claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with; a wheel, ofaresilient tread member therefor, cylindrical cushioning means interposed between the felly of the wheel and said tread member, and

rigid means her on opposite sides thereof at points interengaging said cushioning memmediate of the'felly of the wheel and said v tread member, substantially as described.

2. The combination with a wheel, of a resilient tread member therefor, cylindrical cushioning means .interposed between the wheel-telly and said tread member, and means for reventing the lateral expansion of said cushioning member substantially on the horizontal axis thereof, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a wheel provided with a peripheral channel having; rigid side walls, of a resilient cover or tread member for said channel, and a series of spirally-wound springs interposed, Within said channel,,-between said tread member. and the telly of the wheel and tangentially engaging said. side walls, substantially as descri ed. I

4. The combination with a wheel rovided with an annular peripheral. chann. having rigid side walls, ofa resilienttread member covering said channel, and aseriesof spirallywound springs interposed, within said channel, between said tread member and thefelly ofthe wheel andcontacting said rigid side walls, substantially described.

5. The combination with av wheel, of annularly-disposed rigid plates proiectingpe ripherally of the-felly of said whee and.form-. ing an annular chamber therearound, a resilient tread member connecting-the ends of said plates, and a series of spirallyrwound springs interposed, within. said chamber, .be.

member and felly and .con-

tween said tread I tactim said rigid plates, substantially as describe e. The combinationwith awheelot eri a. erally-dis osed rigid plates forming an annu lar cham er therearound, saidsplates being provided with interlocking: socket-fianges at their ends, a resilient treadjmember provided with heels adapted to fit ;within said. socketflanges, and a seriesof spirally-wound springs interposed between said plates, tread member, and the telly. of the wheel andcontacting said ri id plates, substantially as described.

7. T e combination with a Wheel, ot peripherally-extending rigid plates forming an annular chamber ther.earound,hooked flanged sockets extending around the outer edge of said plates, a flexible tread member provided with heels adapted to engage said sockets, means for securing'sa'me therein, andai-se: ries of spirally-wound springs interposed, within said chamber, between said tread member and the felly-ofi the wheel. and con- 7 taetin said rigid plates, scribe y Y 4 '8. The combination.- wth a wheel, of a pair substantially as deof peripherally-disposed rigid plates provided with socketed .ends and forming an annular and contacting said rigid plates, substantially :0 Chamber around said wheel, a resilient tread as described. member having heels thereon adapted to fit In testimony whereof I have signed my within said sockets and provided with an name to this specification in the presence of air chamber, means for inflating said air two subscribing witnesses. chambers for interlocking said tread member THEODORE ST ERNE.

with said plates, and spirally-wound springs Witnesses: g interposed, within said annular chamber, be- R. H. BRANDON, tween said tread member and wheel-felly LOUIS RINURE. 

